The growing need for better results with increasingly scarce resources requires the companies to select and invest only in projects that generate competitive advantage. The fact that this selection process involves interests and risks, an effective project portfolio management can provide effective support. This paper aims to provide an overview of academic literature on project portfolio management describing trends and the key topics. The methodological approach chosen was a literature review, adopting bibliometric techniques and content analysis. The search was conducted in the ISI Web of Knlowledge and Scielo databases. The initial sample for analysis consisted of 85 articles published between 1994 and 2009 and included the cited references. The sample was analyzed according to the evolution of publications and citations and identification of key journals, authors, studies, and topics. The results indicate a significant increase in the volume of published papers and citations over the period of time studied. The portfolio management models identified in the literature converge on the following key processes: project proposals, strategic drivers, identification, evaluation, selection, prioritization, resource allocation, and monitoring & control. The most cited tools in the studies in the sample were classified into three groups: financial methods, mathematical programming, and statistical models. Finally, the portfolio selection criteria that stood out were market potential, economic and financial feasibility, and risks and uncertainties.
Project management; Portfolio management; Bibliometric study
